Improvement in potato-diggeb



J. w. BLDDGETT.

Potato' Digger.

Patented June 30,1868.-

EHER, WASHINGTON, D c.

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Letters Patent No. 79,439, dated June so, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-BIGGER.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN;

Be it known that I, JOHN W. BLODGETT, of.Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph, andStateof Michigan, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Potato-Diggers and I do'hereby declare that the following is a fuILclear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annex-ed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view, with the front wheel removed.

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view, and

Figures-3 and 4 are details. l

The object of my invention is to construct a potato-digger that shall more easily remove potatoes from the hills, and separate them from the soil, than any similar device heretofore known.

To this end I construct a. machine as represented on the drawings, of which letters A are the wheels, letter B isthe driver's seat, letter O is the neap. Letters D are upright standards, with casters at their lower ends, and made adjustable to the forward cross-bar of the carriage-frame by set-screws and slate, as shown on fig. 4.

Y The. letter E represents a cog-wheel, adjusted to the inside of the carriage-wheel, as shown on fig. 2.

Letter F is the shovel, made in the usual form of shovels adapted to such purposes, except the rear end thereof is slotted, to allow space and room for the movement therein oi the spikes on the endless-belt, hereihafter described.

The letter G is an endless belt, constructed with a strip of leather, or other suitablematerial, on each side thereof, which strips are united by cross-bars of iron plates, to every alternate one of which I attach iron pins. or spikes, about two inches, more or less, in length, and at the relative distances from each-other set forthin'the -.drawings, fig. 2. These cross-bar plates areconstructed in the form shown in the drawings, with alternate slats and arms, so as to form a continuous platform, with openings therein, to allow the passage downward of the earth taken up with the potatoes. The endless belt is moved around two rollers, marked respectively H and K. The roller H is adjusted in bearings formed in strips of iron, that extend downwards from the frame of the carringe in the form of a V inverted, and is moved .by the endless belt. I

The roller K has a cog-wheel on one end thereof, fitted to mesh in the cogs of cog-wheel E. On the opposite ond of this roller I afiix a disk, with an opening therein, near its periphery, in which the arm 0 is secured, as hereinafter mentioned, and which serves as a cam, to provide the vibratory movement of the'sieves M, as also described herein.

The letter M is a sieve, perforated in the manner-shown-on fig. 2. Its rear end is attached to the sideframe of the crrriage by swinging arms, and its front end is supported by a swingingbar, as shown at L. Its front end is slotted, to allow space and room for the movement of the spikes on the endless belt G, and it is adjusted to hang and vibrate in such manner that its rear end shall'always be lower than its front, thereby affording means for the passage of the potatoes downward to the ground.

To produce the vibratory motion to this sieve,.I attach the rear end of the arm 0 to theelbow-lever P, as represented on' the drawings. The elbow-leverPis attached firmly to the upright standards, which oscillates in its bearings. A hook, R, connects the sieve with the shortest arm of elbow-lever P. These devices secure to the sieve a sharp, quick, vibratory motionat each revolution of the roller K, and serve, not only to separate the potatoes from the soil, but also to deliver the potatoes upon the earth at the rear end of said sieve.

My device is believed to excel all other similar inventions in separating the potatoes from wet or clayey soil, and it is alsowell adapted for use in any soil that is tolerably free from roots and stones.

.It will be observed that the lifting-apparatus, shown in figs. 1 and 3, is cheap and simple, and may be operate-'1 by the drivers foot.

What I-claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The endless belt G, constrdcted as shown and described. i

2. The sieve M, in combination with the disk a, shown and described, arm 0, elbow-lever P; standard 3, and .cbnnecting-rods R and L, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as specified.

JOHN W. BLODGETT." Witnesses:

J. S. Mouanr, LN. STROM, Jr; 

